Separable contact



sept. 3o, 1924. 1,509,822

R.B. BENJAMIN SE'PARABLE CONTACT Filed April 26 1919 i .f/vena r':

Patented Sept. 30, 1924.

UNITED -STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BE'UBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 BENJAMIN ELECTRICIMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OIE'ILLINOIS.

snrAnABLE CONTACT.

Application-filed April 26, 1919.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJA- MIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in SeparableContacts, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in separable contacts, andparticularly to that type of separable contact for making a quick andeasily detachable connection between a branch wire and a line wire. Cnc'of the objects of my invention is to provide a structure which, whilegiving a maximum of contacting surface when thecontacts are inengagement, will at the same time allow the y use of extremely shortblades on the plug to permit, among other things, an angular separationof the plug and thereby reduce arcing at the contacts to the minimum.For this reason my invention is particularly adaptable for high tensionwork.

For the purpose of disclosing my invention I have illustrated oneembodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, in whichy Fig. 1 is asectional View of a pair of separable contact members embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the base member with the cover removed;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the plug member;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the base member;

Fig. V5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of one set of contacts; and

Fig. 6 is a disassociated view of one set of contacts.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated I provide an insulatingbase preferably formed in two sections, the section 1 constituting thebase portion and the section 2 constituting a cover. The base section 1is preferably circularl in,form and has on its top face a pair ofrecesses adapted to receive the spring contact ingers. As each of thesecontact lingers is the same, a description of one will suliice. Thecontact C finger comprises a plate 3 which is secured in the bottom ofthe recess by means of suit- Serial No. 292,885.

able screws 4 passing up through the bottom of the base and screwinginto the screwthreaded openings 5 on the plate. This plate also carriesa binding-post 6 by which one of the leading-in wires may be secured tothe plate. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the base isprovided with a pair of longitudinal channels 7 which, through arestricted neck 8, communicate with the recess containing the plate 2.This permits of the conductor wires to extend through the base, and atthe point where the conductor wires pass over the plate they aresuitably stripped and clamped to the plate by means of the binding screw6. The plate is provided with an extension 9 turned at right anglesthereto, and this extension is punched out at its center to form the twojaws l0. These two jaws at their upper end are wider, as at 11, than atthe center, so that a socket formation is formed between the two jaws.Due to the fact that the plate is made of comparatively thin material,these two jaws 10 will have a certain amount of resiliency and thereforecan spring apart. Secured on each side of the extension 9 and coveringthe jaws 10 are a pair of spring plates 12 which are secured to theextension 9 by means of rivets passing through suitable openings 13 inthe side plates and the extension. These two side plates thus formadditional jaws or spring lingers and at their tops they 'are providedwith transversely extending projections 14 'which form guide members forthe blades of the cap. The spring sockets thus formedare covered andseparated by means of the base cover 2. This cover is made to t over thebase l and has the same general configuration. Onl its under face it isormed with recesses 15 which fit over the plate 3 and its binding posts,and is also formed with channels 16 into which project the spring socketfingers above described. By thisarrangement, in view of the fact thatthe center portion 17 of the cover fits Iclosely on the base, the springsocket ngers are thoroughly insulated. one from the other. The cap atits top is provided with openings of just sufficient size to receive theContact blades 18 of the cap 19. This cap 19 is'preferably formed ofinsulating material and carries a pair of the contact blades 18. Each ofthese blades is the same and consists of a flat strip of 'to thebinding-posts. The lower end of the blade 18 takes the form of a bluntedspearhead and is therefore provided with a taper- `ing end 94, a widenedportion 25 and a restricted neck 26. These blades are wide las comparedwith their thickness.

' The operation of the device is readily apparent. When it is desired tomake a connection, the blades 18 are inserted through the restrictedopenings in the base and are laterally guided by the projections 14, sothat the pointed head 24 of the blades will enter between the springfaces 12 and between the spring jaws 10, the spring jaws spreading topermit the widened portion 25 of the blade to pass through therestricted neck between the jaws 10. These jaws then immediately drawtogether, holding the blades mechanically firmly in positionagainstaccidental withdrawal, and, due t0 the fact that the blade isengaged on all four sides by spring jaws, a good electrical contact ismade with the blade irrespective of the fact that the portion of theblade engaging the spring jaws is comparatively short. Due to the factthat the contact is made on all sides of the blade, the engaging portionof the blade can be made comparatively short, so that in separating thecap from the base a quick break is made and the arcing of the contactsreduced to the It will be also noted that after the jaws have passed thewidened portion 25, due to the tapering end of the blade these jaws willtend to act on the end of the blade with a cam-like action to assist inpushing the blade out of the socket.

As stated above, the use of the extremely short blades on the plugpermits an angular sepa-ration of the plug and thereby reduces arcing atthe contacts to the minimum.

blades.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is A 1. An electrical connector device,comprising a receptacle portion for cooperation with a plug portion,said portions being separable by an angular break, said plug portioncomprising a pair of contact blades, said receptacle portion comprisinga pair of contact devices for engaging said contact blades respectively,and a cover havin restricted openings through which said b ades extendfor engagement with said contact devices, the'walls of said openingsbeing thin to permit angular separations o the plugin device, each ofsaid contact evices comprising a pair of spring fingers embracing acontact blade and engaging its' sides, and a pair of spring contactfingers embracing said contact blade and engaging its edges, theoverlapping-engagement between said spring contact gers and said bladesbeing relatively short, to permit angular separation of the plug-indevice.

2. An electrical connector device, comprising a contact device forcooperation with a contact blade, comprising a pair of spring contactlingers for embracing said contact blade and engaging its sides and apair of contact fingers for embracing said contact blade and enga ingits edges, said edge engaging fingers being formed from a singleintegral piece of sheet material comprising a flat portlon having itscentral part punched out to provide a llat U-shaped member, the arms ofsaid U-shaped member forming said ed e 'engaging fingers.

n witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my` name.

RE'UBEN B.. BENJAMIN.

